1. Technical Field
This invention relates to electronic communication systems. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for upgrading and configuring an Internet appliance (also referred to herein as a xe2x80x9cnetwork appliancexe2x80x9d) from databases distributed over an electronic network.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic telecommunications networks are increasingly used to store and distribute a variety of data. Examples of such electronic networks include the Internet, and intranet systems. For example, World Wide Web (Web) pages (which may be accessed over the Internet) may include text, graphical displays, video displays, animation, and sounds.
The Web is usually accessed via telephone lines by a modem-connected computer. However, the Web may also be accessed through other devices, including personal data assistants, fax machines, and Internet-compatible telephones. One telephone that provides Web access is described in M. Valentaten, B. Moeschen, Y. Friedman, Y.-T. Sidi, Z. Bilkowsky, Z. Peleg , Multi-Mode Home Terminal System that Utilizes a Single Embedded General Purpose/DSP Processor and a Single Random Access Memory, U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,940 (Oct. 5, 1993).
A Web page is encoded in Hypertext Markup Language (html). An HTML document is a plain-text (ASCII) file that uses tags to denote the various elements in the document. An element may include an attribute, which is additional information that is included between tags.
HTML can be used to link text and/or images, such as icons, to another document or section of a document. The user activates a link by clicking on it, and the linked database is directly accessed. Links are used to access related information, or to contact a person or entity. However, information on a Web page must have the requisite HTML tags to provide an active link.
It is known to download modifications to computer software from the Web. The user selects a hypertext link on a Web page and the appropriate data is downloaded to the user""s computer. The user then uses the downloaded data to upgrade the computer. However, such downloads are typically either software applications or graphical representations, such as icons.
A Web page may also provide other useful information. For example, various settings, such as an Internet Service Provider""s (ISP) access telephone number may be stored on a Web page. However, the user must still manually configure the computer to change this information locally. In addition to the options and settings necessary to connect to the Web, such Internet appliances as an Internet-compatible telephone also require settings for telephone functions. Such telephone functions include service features, such as Caller ID or Call Waiting, as well as the graphical user interface for displaying the telephone functions, and user profile configuration information, such as how to dial, local area code, and the user""s name, address, and zip code.
An Internet appliance, such as the Internet-compatible telephone, typically has limited processing power and memory storage, as compared to a computer. Thus, it is advantageous to minimize the power and memory required to modify the configurations and features of the appliance.
It would therefore be an advantageous to provide a method and system for automatically configuring an Internet-compatible telephone from the Internet. It would also be advantageous if such method and system minimized the processing power and memory storage required for such an upgrade.
The present invention provides a method and system for automatically configuring an Internet appliance from a Web page, i.e. via an HTML page. The invention is capable of modifying variables that include, options, settings, and supported features, as well as the graphical user interface for the Internet appliance. Such variables may consist include, for example, Internet Service Provider (ISP) telephone numbers, user""s area code, name, address, and zip code and such calling features as call waiting, call forwarding, and last call returned. Uniquely, the features provided by the invention are implemented by a novel put/get mechanism.
The preferred embodiment of the invention is adapted for use with the Internet appliance described above (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,940.) However, alternative embodiments of the invention are adapted for use with any Internet access device. In the preferred embodiment, the Internet appliance accesses a special HTML page on a Web site containing configuration information for the appliance. This HTML page is used to modify the Internet appliance.
In one embodiment of the invention, data from the HTML page are downloaded to the Internet appliance to modify its options or settings automatically upon accessing the page. However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the HTML page includes special tags that direct the Internet appliance to perform certain operations. The user then selects the desired options and settings and the Internet appliance is adjusted accordingly in accordance with the definitions contained in the HTML page.
In an alternative, equally preferred embodiment, the upgrade data are downloaded from the HTML page to programmable memory in the Internet appliance. The stored data are then used to upgrade the Internet appliance.
HTML pages containing configuration data for the Internet appliance may be stored on a server, or on any computer accessible via the Internet. For example, the server may maintain a cache of Web pages frequently accessed by the Internet appliance, such as HTML pages containing configuration data.
In one embodiment of the invention, an upgrade Web page alerts the user when new information regarding changes to options and settings of the Internet appliance is available. Equipment or service companies, such as a telephone company, can provide HTML pages on their Web sites to make upgrades available to their users. A user then selects new features, such as Call Forwarding, or upgrades existing services directly from the telephone company.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, telephone service information is automated. In this embodiment, a selectable area is provided on a graphical user interface of the Internet appliance. When this area is selected, the Web page for the desired service is automatically accessed, and the data are downloaded.
A profile of the Internet-compatible telephone user may be stored in the Internet appliance. The HTML page uses this profile to provide customized services. For example, the user""s profile information can be retrieved from the Internet appliance and sent to a Web site to provide personalized or localized services.